The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly to a connection and clamping arrangement for facilitating electrical connections, especially electrical connections between components in diagnostic imaging systems.
Electrical mating arrangements are used to maintain the connection between electrical components in systems. For example, different clamping arrangements are known to secure and maintain contact connections between ends of different electrical connectors.
In diagnostic imaging systems, high density electrical connections are often needed in order to communication high volumes of data between the components therein. For example, in ultrasound imaging systems, stacks of connectors (e.g., circuit boards or flexible circuits) are used to interconnect the transducer array in the scanhead of the ultrasound probe with an interface or other controller that connects to a system cable for controlling operation of the ultrasound probe.
High density electrical connections in these systems are created by clamping together the connectors, for example, a stack of circuit boards having exposed ends. In order to ensure proper electrical connection, adequate pressure is needed to align and maintain the connection of the connector ends. For example, in ultrasound imaging systems, a bolt is often used to apply a pressure to the electrical connector stack. However, the application of pressure using this bolt can result in the separation or lack of adequate pressure at the outer edges or exposed contacts of the electrical connector stack. Accordingly, proper electrical connection between the components within the system may not be made or maintained. Moreover, because of space constraints in some of these diagnostic imaging systems, for example, in an ultrasound imaging systems, the space available for securing the electrical connector stack is limited.